Styx and Tesla: Mission Accomplished in Atlanta!

Styx
w/ Special Guest: Tesla
June 16, 2018
Alpharetta, GA – Verizon Amphitheater

Ever since seeing them for the first time last year, I have been a proud Styx fan.  The band won me over with their live performance and their singer Lawrence Gowan stole the show.  I was more than excited to see how they would do a year later but something told me that I was going to be in for one hell of a show.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta was a buzz with excitement as that lil ol’ band from California Tesla opened the show.  The band took the stage to a roar from the crowd and kicked things off with an obscure track, “I Wanna Live” from their 2008 album Forever More.  It served as such a great opener.  I love it when bands pull opening songs like that from keep within their catalog as I always feel that it’s a nod to the hard core fans and Tesla definitely did this with “I Wanna Live.”

Tesla’s 45 minute set, while definitely on the short side, did not disappoint as they unleashed hit after hit like “Hang Tough”, “What You Give” and their timeless sing along rendition of “Signs.”  Guitarists Dave Rude and Frank Hannon showcased their musical connection together during a gorgeous intro to “Love Song” and the band kicked it up a notch with the PhD cover “Little Suzi.”  Lead vocalist Jeff Keith is like a bolt of energy released from a bottle every time I see him live.

Jeff has been doing this long enough to know how to truly command an audience and for an opening band to have so much power of an audience is always a great thing to see.  Tesla closed out their set with “Modern Day Cowboy” which was absolutely mind blowing.  Frank Hannon is without a doubt one of the most unsung guitar heroes of his era and watching him on this song just proves that fact.

Seeing Tesla live is always a treat but seeing them open for someone is always like an unfair tease.  It’s like getting to smell the cake but not being able to get it.  Tesla does more in 45 minutes than most bands do in twice that and they always own the stage like they are the ones headlining.  Tesla is always a hard act to follow but Styx seemed to bold enough to take on the task.

Just before Styx hit the stage the sky opened wide and released a rain storm that would’ve had Noah scrambling to make an ark.  The place was absolutely drenched but the folks on the lawn continued to rage and keep the energy at “11.”  Styx hit the stage with “Gone Gone Gone” from the Mission and once again Styx proved that they are more than capable of handling themselves when it comes to following an act like Tesla.

Lead singer Lawrence Gowan is a front man extraordinaire who rules the stage with all of the rock n’ roll presence of David Lee Roth but with the smooth, finesse moves of Fred Astaire (top hat and all).  Tommy Shaw took the mic and said, “I hope you all forgive me if I’m a little bit off tonight because I’m just getting over laryngitis so bare with me.”  They band then launched into “Blue Collar Man” and I swear to God Shaw sounded better than ever.  I can only hope that I get the case of laryngitis that he had so that my voice would sound that great.

“Light Up” from 1975’s Equinox album is always a great treat to hear live and Gowan really gets the crowd riled up on this one.   Another treat that never gets old is having JY take center stage for “Miss America.”  That song kicks so much ass live and it’s so fun to see JY enjoying the lead role for a bit.  The rest of Stxy’s set was made up of the other usual hits like “Rockin’ The Paradise”, “Lady”, and “Fooling Yourself.”  While I never really tire of hearing these classics, Styx put out such a great album with The Mission that I would have loved to have heard more from that album than the two songs that they do.  I mean, how fucking epic would “The Greater Good” sound live?  That aside, the band was flawless as always and Gowan stole the show as always with his non-stop energy.  They should bottle some of that shit up and sell it at the merch booth.  I’d buy a case of it.

Styx returned to the stage for their encore of “Mr. Roboto” and it was funny because even as huge of a hit as this was, the reaction didn’t seem to be that much more intense had they chosen to encore with anything else.  I do understand that the reason they did this song was to break this kind of stigma that the song had.  From my understanding, on this tour the song was played to backing tapes so the band never really performed it live.  I totally respect them for redeeming themselves and finding piece with this song but I’d be just fine if I never heard it again.  “Renegade” closed the show as usual with a bang of confetti and the crowd roared with approval.

I feel like Styx is one of those bands that I spend a lot of time defending but you know what, Styx doesn’t need defending because they walk the walk and they deliver the goods.  If you need to see it for yourself, pull up the YouTube videos, talk to other people that have seen them live or hell, go to a fucking Styx show yourself.  If you walk out of that show not smiling or feeling like you got rocked from your seat to the back of the room and back then I have a number for a great therapist.

About The Author

Don

I have been running this blog since 2009. AKA as the Great Southern Brainfart, Southeast of Heaven is my baby now and forever. I’ve had my ups and downs with bands over the years but they are all great experiences and memories. My Swedish friend Charlie said once, “Don is known for being one of the meanest bastards in American rock journalism.” It’s nice to be loved.

I also once took a shit in Anthrax’s dressing room toilet and didn’t flush.

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